Mouse: P.I For Hire Review (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, & PC)

That you’re a private detective in Mouse: P.I. For Hire is far from the game being a serious run. It’s, in the end, a silly adventure that takes you back to the little joys of 1930s black-and-white cartoons. Not sure how the idea hasn’t been squeezed dry by now because it surely is the perfect set dressing for an unforgettable ride. 

But aesthetics alone won’t cut it, and Fumi Games had to pay as much attention to the story and gameplay. And I’m most happy to report that they absolutely have understood the assignment and delivered beyond initial expectations. 

Our Mouse: P.I. For Hire review dives deep into all you need to know before making the conscious decision to grab a copy for yourself. 

Twisting Plot Threads

The story in Mouse: P.I. For Hire doesn’t really matter as much as the combat and investigative parts of the game. Not that it sucks; you do enjoy all the shenanigans mouse Jack Pepper gets up to in the fictional Mouseburg town. It’s quite a lot to digest here, but it’s simply told. 

A former war hero, now a private investigator, Jack Pepper, debunks several intertwining mystery cases in this mouse-crawling town. It starts with the vanishing act of a magician, but builds up and ropes in corrupt cops and Nazi-based cults. 

The writing is strong at times, but it feels a bit too much, especially when it interrupts the chaotic flow of combat and violence. You have to stop everything to assess the clues Jack Pepper has gathered so far, stuck onto his case board back at his office. And while it makes you feel all badass, like an actually decent detective, most of the heavy lifting is pieced together for you. 

Careful not to stroll in here looking to pick your brain apart. Feeling like a brilliant detective is certainly not the end goal for solving the mysterious cases of Mouseburg. Perhaps settling for the story as a reason to head out there and find clues. Perhaps seeing is for what it is might help reconcile any reservations: a purely silly adventure aimed at feel-good nostalgia. 

Oh, and there’ll be too many cheesy puns than you can count. Mouse: P.I. For Hire doesn’t play around with its cheese puns.

Cartoon Glory

All that makes the story acceptable is the devotion and authenticity to 1930s cartoons. The writing is hilarious, although verbose at times. It introduces eccentric characters with fun backgrounds. Even the voice acting hasn’t been left to chance, with renowned Troy Baker voicing Jack Pepper. 

It’s a joy unraveling Mouse: P.I. For Hire’s crime noir story. Despite its flaws, it seldom fails to leave a wicked smile plastered on your face. And that also has to do with the fantastic sound effects, music, and visuals. The foundation for an excellent story-driven experience, which, when perfectly executed, buoys up the story and seldom gets the recognition for it. 

But I’ll give props to the graphics and sound, immediately standing out when you boot up Mouse: P.I For Hire. Yes to the rubber hose aesthetic that always conveys super cheeriness and pumped up energy, perfectly fitting of a wild goose detective chase.

The black-and-white visuals aren’t at all hard to read, thanks to impressively detailed environments and objects. And varied, too, taking you from back alleys to the cinema and science labs. It’s a joy to explore the nooks and crannies of Mouse: P.I. For Hire’s dozen or so levels because of their vintage pride, but also genuine interest in discovering the secrets and treats tucked away for the curious.

Doomsday

That aside, though. The most enjoyable part of Mouse: P.I. For Hire is the action. And coincidentally, it makes up a huge chunk of your playthrough. Almost every other turn you make through Mouseburg, crooks await. Mice, mind you, and robots, and dogs, and crocodiles… It’s a crazy criminal underworld latching onto Mouseburg’s heart and soul. And it’s your job to clean up the streets; never mind how many bodies you leave in your wake.

In fact, you might have put down thousands of enemies by the end of your playthrough and had an absolute blast of a time doing so. Think the hordes of DOOM and other boomer shooters. How you won’t have to stop to debate your actions. It’s plain and simple: kill or be killed, in whatever way possible. 

Guns, of course, with their speedy rounds of ammo sprayed at whoever unfortunate enough to be in the way. It does feel weighty, punchy, and damn satisfying to be firing at enemies in Mouse: P.I. For Hire. A pretty decent FPS experience, indeed, even if it doesn’t feel as hardcore as more realistic sims. 

Always keeping in mind that Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a cartoon, and so the bullets look rubbery, and the guns can contort in funny ways. But, man, does the shooting feel badass, probably because of how gory it can get sometimes with the mice disintegrating to skeleton bits and crumbling to mush. 

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

Enemies pop up from anywhere, in manageable numbers and hordes. Some are more trying than others, and may even inflict significant damage on you. But you unlock lots of traversal options. You can double jump, wall run, and grapple, all coming in handy when pushed to a corner. 

Use all of the weapons and moves at your disposal, and you might even find that Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a little too easy to beat. So long as you keep on the move, dodging bullets, and hovering above enemies, your tailwind catapulting you through the air, you’ll be good to go. Plus, the ammo and health supplies are relatively easy to come by, as is ammo. 

Chuck cheese in your mouth, and you’ll restore your health enough to finish off persistent enemies. Or switch to more powerful weapons, though the starting pistol, boomstick shotgun, and even the devarnisher SMG are more than enough to clear out constricted hallways and arenas alike. 

I love that Mouse: P.I. For Hire is not a completely linear experience. Some locked pathways open up later on and incentivize you to tread back in search of any secrets you might have missed. And despite the greyscale aesthetic, it never feels repetitive or bland to be backtracking trodden ground. 

Bottom of It

Let’s not forget that you do have a case to solve. Well, several that eventually feed into one another. It’s not the most mind-blowing detective case you’ll be pressed to burst wide open. Yet, it keeps the momentum going, especially when you begin to collect clues during exploration, and watch your case board spring up connective tissues. 

It’s also a welcome downtime from the chaos and mayhem of Mouseburg’s criminal underworld, where you can catch your breath. Perhaps talk to a few interesting folks at the hub. Or upgrade weapons.

You’ll also find minigames, like baseball cards. It’s fun to collect these during exploration, as well as learn to pick locks using your tail. Quite a handy tail Jack Pepper has there –for hovering, grappling, pulling enemies… Oh, it can beat enemies in melee combat, too, when your white-glove punches have had their fill. 

Verdict

Hey, Mouse: P.I. For Hire barely comes close to the fast-paced DOOM series and its high-ranking boomer shooter competitors. But it sure does come close to offering the same frenetic experience, when you can barely catch your breath from the barrage of enemies coming at you. And it’s your weapons that do the talking, or your punches, or your tail. And absolutely always being on the move to stay alive.  

Movement is so varied and versatile in Mouse: P.I. For Hire, it helps make combat brilliant. When you can grapple, hover, wall run, and double jump, creating a blood-pumping flow from enemy to boss fight. While at it, you’re cruising through striking levels with startling visual and audio design. 

It’s the first thing that catches your eye, the rubber hose animation aesthetic that induces a silly and cheery vibe to your playthrough, which, interestingly, balances with the crime noir story. What’s a pretty violent and crime-ridden town still retains its silliness that unlocks your inner child. It never loses touch with being a cartoon, first and foremost, ensuring authenticity to 1930s cartoons above all else.

And that’s really the wow factor of Mouse: P.I For Hire. Despite the flaws it may have with a relatively easygoing playthrough and verbose writing, at times, it still is a blast. No regrets whatsoever taking this one for a ride for the fair price of $29.99.